SIR: The Dapchi debacle where at least 105 girls were abducted has reminiscence of Chibok experience. On April 15, 2014, 276 girls were abducted from government Secondary school, Chibok Maiduguri. This is February 2018 and 105 girls are missing from another girls’ school in neighbouring Yobe State. The abductions share some basic similarities albeit different time, space, but definitely share same purpose. The abductions are carried out just penultimate year to election. We may recall that in 2014, the abduction… Read more

This week's defection of Labour Party's only House of Representatives lawmaker, Segun Ogunwuyi, to APC, has evoked fresh fear over LP's survival as a national party, reports Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu FOLLOWING continuous loss of its major elected officials there is fear over the dwindling fortunes of the Labour Party as political parties prepare for 2019 General Elections. Since the last general election in 2015, unending intrigues and leadership crisis, leading to defections, have continued to weaken Labour Party, considered… Read more

When they took power, the soldiers marched out on a straight path towards their vision of a good society. But the mission became more elusive, the closer they came towards it’’ – Robin Luckman. The problem with admirers of Gen. (Dr) Olusegun Obasanjo, like his other military adventurers from Nzeogwu through Ironsi, Gowon, Murtala Mohammed Obasanjo, Buhari, Babangida, Abacha and Abdulsalami Abubakar, especially those below 60 years of age who never knew we once had an ordered society is their… Read more

The Federal Government must go beyond the presentation of the N8.612 2018 Budget by President Muhammadu Buhari, stakeholders say. Beyond the N4.165 trillion projections from non-oil and other revenue sources as against the N2.442 trillion revenue projection from oil & gas and benchmarking the barrel price of crude oil at $45, they say the gains of diversification of the economy and the peace in the Niger Delta must be sustained. THE N8.612 trillion estimates presented in Abuja on Tuesday by… Read more

What are the effects of exposure to radiation? A Professor of Medical Physics at the University of Lagos, M.A. Aweda, sheds light on this question in his inaugural lecture. Excerpts: I had my first and Masters degrees in Nuclear Physics. My Ph D degree was to be in Nuclear Physics for which I was awarded scholarship. While preparing to commence the programme, I had the opportunity to access and pursue the degree in Medical Physics. I had earlier read… Read more

The state of the Ogoni clean-up has raised posers. PRECIOUS DIKEWOHA, who has toured the oil spill sites in the four local government areas in Ogoni with the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Programme (HYPREP) Team, provides the answer. In 2011, the Federal Government constituted a committee to study the spill in Ogoni land and the report of the committee known as the UNEP report has given birth to a fresh hope for the people. It has also come with fears. The… Read more

SIR: For over five years I have been living in Europe, and I have never at any time been as worried as I am right now for humankind. I have never had any reason to be more apprehensive or more disturbed about the future than I am today, at this very moment. This is because the trend of events seems to be whittling away hope for a better and brighter future for humanity. The recent spate of attacks, killings and… Read more

Last week’s exit of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) means different things to Nigerians. To some, it will negatively affect the local economy, to others, it is will be inconsequential. COLLINS NWEZE, CHIKODI OKEREOCHA AND OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE report. IT is no longer news that Britain has parted ways with the European Union (EU). What is news is the ripple effect of the unprecedented democratic step taken by the United Kingdom (UK) on global markets and… Read more

Following the depth of disagreements at the state congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party's elders made moves to save the party ahead its national convention, but it seems that has not yielded any positive result, report Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu and Assistant Editor, Gbade Ogunwale in Abuja Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other concerned stakeholders have expressed fears that the party's inability to resolve the leadership crisis in many of its state chapters before… Read more

These are not good times for the political family of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State as more of his aides and close associates are not only defecting to the rival All Progressives Congress (APC) but are also making eye popping allegations against his government. Late this week, when four of his close associates left his camp, they said openly that his government has failed Ondo State people. The defectors included Senator Ayo Akinyelure (a.k.a All Over); Technical Aid Corps… Read more

Former Nigeria national team coach, Samson Siasia has warned that Enyimba midfielder, Kingsley Sokari risks not fulfilling his potentials. Sokari currently turns out regularly for Nigeria’s Under-20 side, the under-23s as well as the senior national team, the Super Eagles. Siasia, who currently trains Nigeria’s Under-23 side says the trend may detrimentally affect the youngster’s development. “He’s a very good player and one that I want in my Under-23 team. However, he’s usually on the move (travelling to fulfill professional… Read more

Are the guilty afraid? Except for the fact that her jokes are sometimes dry and insensitive, Dame Patience Jonathan’s interventions in her husband’s campaign have been as intriguing as they could be. But, when I say intriguing, I mean intriguing in reverse, because, virtually everything she said recently on the podium could be used, as they say in the police station, against her. Take for example her speech at the rally of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) women wing in… Read more

Although she is rated as the most talented Nigerian female tennis player, Edem Offiong is yet to live up to expectations at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tour, Lagos Open, having failed twice to lift the title with her best being a runner’s up at the 2013 edition. At the last ITTF Africa Senior Championship in Cairo, Offiong was expected to inspire the Nigerian team, but when it mattered most, she was unable to excel. However, when the Lagos Open… Read more